The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian refugees has claimed that Israel was taking over buildings it says belong to the agency in the Shuafat refugee camp in East Jerusalem, which the Jerusalem Municipality denied.

According to the UNRWA statement posted last week, and shared by its West Bank director Roland Friedrich on X, “Personnel associated with the Jerusalem Municipality have in recent days entered UNRWA facilities without authorization, including the school compound, health center, and community services office.”

The Jerusalem Municipality rejected the allegation, telling The Times of Israel that “these are not UNRWA properties, but privately owned properties for which the municipality has signed a usage agreement.”

“According to the owners of these properties, UNRWA itself unlawfully took control of them and did not pay [rent] during this period. The municipality intends to open educational institutions at the site for the benefit of residents of the surrounding neighborhoods,” the municipality said.

However, the UNRWA charged in its statement that the premises were forcibly entered by breaking locks, and that contractors working on behalf of the municipality had begun carrying out work at the sites. The agency asserted that the moves violate international law protecting UNRWA property.

In late 2024,........

© The Times of Israel